The Royal Canadian Mint Showcases Explorer John Cabot's Famous Ship to Celebrate the Passage of 70 Years Since Newfoundland and Labrador Joined Confederation

OTTAWA, Ontario, March 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Royal Canadian Mint is proud to issue an impressive new silver coin that recaptures the design of the 1949 Silver Dollar celebrating Newfoundland and Labrador's transformation from a British colony to Canada's newest province 70 years ago. This coin features the Matthew, the sailing vessel which intrepid European explorer John Cabot sailed to Newfoundland's shores in 1497. When Master Engraver Thomas Shingles first hand-carved the reverse of this coin, it became an instant classic, prized its graceful and meticulous design. Now, it can be enjoyed even more on the scale of a 5 oz. 99.99% pure silver coin whose obverse also features the effigy of His Majesty King George VI, just as it appeared on the original. This special coin, as well as several other finely crafted collectibles, is available for purchase as of today.

Creativity shines on the four square coins composing the 2019 $3 Fine Silver Coin Set – The Elements. Designed by Toronto artist Rebecca Yanovskaya, each coin illustrates one of the elements: fire, air, earth and water. This coin was first inspired by the suggestion of a member of the Mint's Masters Club (a loyalty program managed by the Royal Canadian Mint), Mr. Bernard Dumais of Lévis, QC. Each of these is enhanced by a motif of red, yellow, brown and green maple leaves, evoking each element. Arranged together, the coins form a circular image representing the cycle of Canada's changing seasons.

Another historic coin steps into the spotlight with the 2019 $20 Fine Silver Coin – 40th Anniversary of the Gold Maple Leaf. The signature design of one of the world's favourite gold bullion coins is faithfully preserved on a double-incuse coin, with its central design features sunken into the surface of the coin: a sugar maple leaf on the reverse and the effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the obverse. As an extra tribute to the bullion coin it honours, the image of the maple leaf is selectively gold-plated.

Mintages, pricing and full background information on each product can be found on the "Shop" tab of www.mint.ca. Coin images are available here.

All of these products can be ordered directly from the Mint at 1-800-267-1871 in Canada, 1-800-268-6468 in the US, or on the Mint's web site. The coins are also available at the Royal Canadian Mint's boutiques in Ottawa and Winnipeg, as well as through our global network of dealers and distributors, including participating Canada Post outlets.

About the Royal Canadian MintThe Royal Canadian Mint is the Crown corporation responsible for the minting and distribution of Canada's circulation coins. The Mint is recognized as one of the largest and most versatile mints in the world, offering a wide range of specialized, high quality coinage products and related services on an international scale. For more information on the Mint, its products and services, visit www.mint.ca.